By James Slater: The dominance of Wladimir Klitschko continued tonight in Frankfurt, Germany, as the Ring magazine, IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight king thoroughly bested Samuel Peter in their rematch bout. Beating the challenger up pretty much as he pleased, “Dr. Steel Hammer” finally got the stoppage trainer Emanuel Steward was looking for in the 10th-round, when a series of blows punctuated by two left hands sent “The Nigerian Nightmare” to the mat.
Now 55-3(49), Klitschko is seemingly at his absolute peak, with no-one around capable of taking his belts. Peter, who really took his lumps tonight, is now 34-4(27) and it’s tough to see where he goes from here. The 30-year-old has certainly had a belly full of the two Klitschko brothers; losing now in three encounters with the siblings.
It was pretty much the usual Klitschko performance tonight. In control all the way aside, perhaps, from a lively opening round from Peter, who came in bobbing and weaving and managed to get home with a decent left hook to the head in the initial three-minutes, Wladimir jabbed, used his right hand and left hook and also grabbed and wrapped his man up at every opportunity.
The huge 40,000 crowd loved the show, as always, but in truth the fight was too one-sided to be appreciated. What could be appreciated, though, was the skill and superiority of Klitschko. Busting Peter’s left eye up, cracking him with some wickedly well-placed bombs with both hands and winning almost every minute of every completed round as he did, it’s tough to find fault with Wladimir’s latest showing. Maybe he could’ve finished the job earlier than he did, but as soon as Emanuel Steward urged him to close the show at the start of the 10th, the main man at heavyweight went out and did so.
Peter tried his best tonight and there was no quit in him. A times, the challenger almost threw himself over when launching massive left hooks. The punches missed the desired target, but at least Sam gave it a go. Looking tired and slow-footed as early as the 3rd-round as he did, though, it was obvious Peter was a doomed fighter.
Still, what a chin the Nigerian has! Taking flush punches round after round, Peter could easily have looked for a soft spot on the canvas. He didn’t, and for that he deserves respect. His corner knew from the 8th-round on, if not sooner, that their charge was out of his depth, and considered pulling him out at this time. “Show me something,” Peter’s trainer ordered at the start of the 9th, and Peter did try. But the aggression he showed only got him in trouble from the referee, as a shot landed on the back of Klitschko’s head. Peter, by now totally demoralised, had to know the ending was close. And indeed it was.
Urging his man to get the stoppage, Steward got what he wanted in the 10th. Letting both hands go, Klitschko battered Peter until he went down. Just before the challenger fell, the ref was on his way in to stop the slaughter, but he was a few seconds too slow. Peter was out on his back and for the thirteenth time in a row since his shock loss to Lamon Brewster, Wladimir had beaten and broken an opponent.
Is there anyone out there who can give “Dr. Steel Hammer” a real fight?